Farooq Abdullah reiterates support for Article 35A, says it is a 'non-negotiable article of faith'

Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said Article 35A was a "non-negotiable article of faith" for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and that his party was ready to fight every battle to safeguard the state's special status.

"Article 35A is vital and non-negotiable for the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and those trying to divide us on regional and religious lines to further their agenda will have to be defeated."

File image of Farooq Abdullah. Reuters

"This is a battle for the interests, rights and dignity of every single citizen of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of his religion, region, language and caste," he said at a party convention in Kupwara district.

The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar said the assault on the state's special status was part of a "longstanding ideological mission of those quarters who have always opposed J&K's political rights and dignity".

The Opposition leader said certain forces powers were trying hard to dismantle the existing constitutional bridges between the state and rest of the country.

Article 35A, which was added to the constitution through a presidential order of 1954, empowers the Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define 'permanent residents' of the state and provides special rights and privileges to them.